Healthcare reform was all about the patients. It's there in the name: the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. So when federal legislators passed the PPACA and formalized the accountable care organization model, it's safe to say they had the healthcare consumer in mind. ?...

In addition to using technology to manage data, many ACOs are turning to solutions that can assist patients in managing their health on their own and engaging patients in real time. According to Mark Lutes, technology companies that enable this behavior through smartphone and tablet apps, for instance, will also be big winners in the ACO space.